How long does a US green card application take?

The time to get a green card varies enormously depending on the category and the applicant's country of birth. For immediate relatives of US citizens (spouses, parents, unmarried children under 21), there is no annual visa cap, so the main wait is USCIS processing time for Form I-485, which currently ranges from roughly 12 to 36 months depending on the office.

For family preference and employment-based categories, applicants must wait for a visa number to become available, as shown in the monthly Visa Bulletin. Indians and Chinese nationals in employment-based categories face backlogs measured in years or even decades due to per-country annual limits. A worker from India in the EB-3 category may wait 50 or more years at current rates.

For applicants already in the US, the process involves filing I-485 (adjustment of status), biometrics, and an interview. Concurrently, applicants can file for work authorization (I-765) and advance parole (I-131). Abroad, the process goes through the National Visa Center and consular processing, which adds additional steps.

This is general information only, not legal advice. Consult a qualified immigration lawyer or registered migration agent for your specific situation.